


Bissextile

by earlgreytea68



Series: Nature & Nurture [4]
Category: Sherlock (TV)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-03-01
Updated: 2016-03-01
Packaged: 2018-05-24 02:12:02
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 572
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6137814
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/earlgreytea68/pseuds/earlgreytea68
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Leap years have everything to do with astronomy. Primary school stuff.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Bissextile

**Author's Note:**

  * Translation into 中文 available: [(番外) Bissextile](https://archiveofourown.org/works/10221293) by [SNAIL_APTX4869](https://archiveofourown.org/users/SNAIL_APTX4869/pseuds/SNAIL_APTX4869)
  * Translation into Русский available: [Природа и воспитание: Високосный год (Bissextile)](https://archiveofourown.org/works/10656537) by [PulpFiction](https://archiveofourown.org/users/PulpFiction/pseuds/PulpFiction)



> Now translated into Russian: http://archiveofourown.org/works/10656537

“Today is February 29,” said Oliver. 

Sherlock looked at him in concern. He looked perfectly alright, and if anybody knew when Oliver Watson-Holmes looked perfectly alright, it was Sherlock. But the outward evidence that Oliver was perfectly alright, sitting at the kitchen table and enthusiastically eating oatmeal, conflicted with that proclamation. Sherlock needed more evidence. Which, because it was Oliver at stake and therefore of the utmost importance, Sherlock took the most direct approach to gathering. “Are you feeling alright?” 

Oliver nodded and said, around his mouth full of oatmeal, “It’s Leap Day.” 

“Don’t talk with your mouth full,” John told him mildly, coming into the kitchen and frowning at the kettle, apparently annoyed the kettle hadn’t magically made tea itself, given how loudly he sighed and clattered mugs around. 

Sherlock looked at Oliver in alarm. “Leap Day? What sort of incredibly useless holiday is that and why do you care about it?” 

Oliver gave him a look, swallowed his oatmeal pointedly, and said, “Because of Copernicus.” 

Sherlock gave up and looked at John. “There’s something wrong with Oliver.” 

“It’s Leap Day, Sherlock,” John said, sitting down with his cup of tea. 

Cup of tea singular. Sherlock frowned at him. “Does Leap Day entail the conservation of tea?” That seemed to be the primary characteristic of Leap Day from Sherlock’s (very intelligent) perspective; otherwise the day was so far pointless. 

John lifted his eyebrows at him and sipped his own cup of tea. 

Oliver said, “No, Daddy, it’s science.” 

“Leap Day?” Sherlock said skeptically. “Does it have a proper Latin name?” 

“The Earth goes around the sun,” said Oliver, with determined passion, and clambered onto Sherlock’s lap, the better to teach him. Oliver loved to teach Sherlock. The only thing that didn’t make it insufferable was that it was Oliver. 

“Yes,” Sherlock said, trying to sound sufficiently exasperated while he was smoothing Oliver’s flyaway curls. “I know. You and Papa never let me forget that Copernicus said the Earth goes around the sun.” 

John smiled into his teacup. 

Oliver said, “The Earth takes 365 and one-quarter days to go around the sun.” 

“If you say so,” said Sherlock. 

John smiled again and stood. 

“So every four years–” Oliver held up four fingers so that Sherlock knew how many he meant when he said four –”we have to add a day. Because by then we’ve added one whole day. It’s dead clever. It’s called Leap Day. Papa told me all about it.” 

“Papa” had started making a second mug of tea, so Sherlock was all in favor of Leap Day at the moment. 

Even if it made no sense. 

“Why is it called ‘Leap Day’? That’s nonsensical. It isn’t as if we’re leaping over the day. We’re very stubbornly sitting here living the day, aren’t we?” 

Oliver looked thoughtful. 

John put Sherlock’s tea down, and Sherlock looked at him smugly, confident he’d silenced them both. 

“It doesn’t mean we aren’t right about Leap Day,” John said. 

“Copernicus is boring,” Sherlock announced, pleased with his tea, waving his hand around. 

Oliver gasped in shocked indignation. 

“Unless,” said Sherlock, “we are talking about Oliver Copernicus. Not boring at all.” 

Oliver nodded, pleased. “I thought so.” He snuggled in against Sherlock. “And you’re right about the name, Daddy, it doesn’t make sense.” 

“I’m always right,” Sherlock said. 

John snorted, but Sherlock noticed he didn’t dispute it. Leap Day, Sherlock thought, was so far an unqualified success.

**Works inspired by this one:**

  * [Cover Art for 'Bissextile' by earlgreytea68](https://archiveofourown.org/works/6163241) by [missmuffin221](https://archiveofourown.org/users/missmuffin221/pseuds/missmuffin221)




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